Report on ECA's activities in the area of access to knowledge, libraries and information services for development during 2005-2006 and work programme for the biennium 2007-2009

Abstract

Libraries provide the best hope for the development of an inclusive Information Society in Africa, as they provide sustainable and affordable public access to ICTs, including the Internet. This role is even more important in rural and poor urban areas where the majority of the population cannot afford individual access to ICTs. With the increased drive for e-government in Africa, libraries will become even more important, because egalitarian access to government information is sine qua non for success of such programmes.